Problems With Air Tight Seal

[reedspacer]

I have one of the newish Coopers fermenters with the screw on lid. First couple of brews, no prob, bubbled along fine. Last six or seven no bubbles! Initially used S-bend airlock.
Tried a new rubber seal... no luck no bubbles. Tried a new airlock (S-bend) no bubbles. New seal, New Air lock (Old 2 piece)..no bubbles.
Research suggested that tightening the top too tight could distort the top of the fermenter. As I had always tightened the top as tight as possible, I thought this could be my problem..so next couple of brews I only tightened it reasonably tight. Still no luck.
I must add that I have seen no probs with fermenting my brews, with the CO2 sitting on the brew. Just waiting for the FG to stabilise before bottling, however I'd like to know if this is a fixable problem or is it common.
So I'm resorting to the resevoir of knowledge here in the hope that someone could suggest some other reasons I'm unable to obtain a full seal (and solutions).

 

[Andrew]

reesdspacer,
try pukking out the seal, give it a good clean and dry, then rubbing it in amourall.
Tou may be surprised how well this can improve its airtightness.

Cheers

 

[Andrew]

Pukking? Tou?
Damn keyboard.

 

[mobrien]

Both my fermenters are the same - I now put all the weights of my diving weight belt on top during ferment - and that fixed the prob.

Matt

 

[reedspacer]

ArmorAll??? you sure? I have Food Grade Coupling Lubricant..would this be better???
Please advise on pukking.

 

[Andrew]

Amour-all is fine - you're not putting it in actual contact with the beer...
(well away from your brew) Just spray some on your finger and rub it on your black rubber ring...
easy...

 

[Guest Lurker]

Personally I try not to get involved in lubricating my ring. Most of my 5 fermenters dont seal well. As long as it has a clearish top so you can see some bubbles/krausen happening, you know its fermenting. Get a gravity reading at the start and 10 to 14 days later. The stuff in the middle will take care of itself.

Simon

 

[Andrew]

Personally I try not to get involved in lubricating my ring.

so many one-liners to come back with, so little time..

 

[jayse]

I think the answer to the my airlock is not bubbling question comes down to pushing the hash button and getting a recorded message!

Theres lots of things to take notice of when brewing and airlock bubbling is not one of them.

lubricating rings sounds a little bit much like what tiffy has to put up with!

Jayse

 

[Batz]

lubricating rings sounds a little bit much like what tiffy has to put up with!

Jayse

[post="55572"][/post]​

I being me was thinking of an answer while reading this thread

I can't top this but ! :lol:

Well done Jayse :lol:

 

[Scotty]

Mate i have had the exact same problem with my coopers fermenter. If you have a look at it after you have put the lid on you will notice one side is a little higher than the other. To fix the problem all you need is a clamp (G clamp) attached from the handle to the lid and you will get an airtight seal.

Scotty

 

[Stagger]

I don't use a air lock at all, i use a large s/s fermenter with a hole in the top and a Perspex lid machined to fit in side. I wouldn't be concerned.

Stagger
:super:

 

[sosman]

Mine doesn't bubble anymore either - I don't worry about it any more. However I am a bit leery of using armour all. I do occasionally put some food grade grease on the lip to make it easier to remove, it usually bubbles when I do that, simply because I tighten it more.

 

[KillerRx4]

I dont have a problem with my coopers fermenter but if overtightened it will jump a thread on 1 side.
However a morgans fermenter has never sealed properly but with some food grade o-ring grease it seals & more importantly unscrews with alot less effort.

 

[warrenlw63]

Lubricating the ring would basically negate the need to whistle and fart at the same time. :lol:

Sorry, couldn't resist that one.

Seriously. Over time those rubber fermenter seals basically perish and shrink to a certain degree. What I find is if you get a knife or screwdriver, what you do is poke the ring completely in the lid and make sure it's flush against the lid and totally flat.

Another thing you can do if you want to is to cut a bit of (sanitised) racking hose, push the ends together to form a ring and push it in the lid.

Stopped worring about airlocks bubbling ages ago. Visual changes in the fermenter are better indicators.

Warren -

 

[Offline]

I had the same prob with my coopers fermenter.

i found the lip of the bucket was not level, it sat high where the seam is
on both sides. i fixed it with a file then some fine sandpaper. all's fine now.

 

[fergi]

i had the same problem,ring wouldnt seal,DONT BE TEMPTED TO USE ARMOUR ALL. i use a smear of the liquid malt at the bottom of the coopers can or whatever you are using and smear it all around the ring,then i run another smear around the top of the fermenter,this then allows the lid to screw on smoothly and tight without crinkling up the rubber O ring,if you put it in dry and tighten it up then you generally get a problem,i also spray a little bit of one shot or simialar on the ring
cheers
fergi

 

[Batz]

i had the same problem,ring wouldnt seal,DONT BE TEMPTED TO USE ARMOUR ALL. i use a smear of the liquid malt at the bottom of the coopers can or whatever you are using and smear it all around the ring,then i run another smear around the top of the fermenter,this then allows the lid to screw on smoothly and tight without crinkling up the rubber O ring,if you put it in dry and tighten it up then you generally get a problem,i also spray a little bit of one shot or simialar on the ring
cheers
fergi

[post="55636"][/post]​

This obviously works for you Fergi , IMHO this is asking for an infection to take place.
I know it is inside a clean and sanitized fermenter , but I still believe that up till now you have been lucky.



Batz

 

[Asher]

I still make sure my fermentors seal. I ferment inside, with the blow-off gasses piped out a window so it's necessary to stop the room stinking....

To maintain a seal on my screw top fermentors I do a couple of things....

- You need to remove the o-ring and gently replace after every use. Otherwise the o-ring compresses in the gap in the lid and stops sealing. To get it out I give the lid a good wack (o-ring side down) on a table and it dislodges...
- Have a spray bottle of diluted sanitiser handy. Spray the o-ring and lid thread. push the o-ring back in place softly, give the whole lot a spray with sanitiser (iodophor for me) and screw on snugly, you will find you don't need to overtighten as the o-ring seals before being squashed all the way into the lid seal...

That's it

Asher for now...

 

[fergi]

well as you say BATZ it works for me,i do spray sanitiser though over the ring afterwards but i know you have a lot of experience in the brewing field so i will take that onboard if i start to get a problem
cheers
fergi